Connecticut Celebrates Miles Rapoport

Miles Rapoport has been on the job as the new president of Common Cause for about a month. On Sunday, nearly 100 people came out to congratulate and wish him well in his new endeavor in his home state of Connecticut.

Connecticut Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman, Secretary of the State Denise Merrill, pictured above, state Reps. Kevin Ryan, Matt Lesser, Edwin Vargas and Mary Mushinsky; Common Cause Connecticut staff and board members and Rapoport's family and friends, were among the crowd at the Hartford reception.

"If John Gardner were alive today, he would absolutely say that the fundamental question facing America is the incredible levels of economic inequality unseen since 1913," Rapoport said, according to the Connecticut News Junkie. "There is a suite of policies that can do something about it. What we need is the political will to do that and I want Common Cause to lend its voice and its power to doing that."

Miles took the reins of Common Cause on March 10, arriving from Demos, a New York-based public policy organization that he helped build. His career has additionally included being an activist, organizer and policy advocate. He replaced Bob Edgar, who died unexpectedly about a year ago.

Miles has spent his first month getting to know Common Cause staff and board members, and learning about the organization. An April 28 reception is planned to formally welcome Miles to DC.